Streaming remains the largest revenue driver, having grown by 4.7% to $4.9 billion.
The RIAA released its 2026 mid-year report on Tuesday (Sept. 1), showing a 6.9% increase in revenue from the first half of 2025 and totaling $6 billion for the U.S. recorded music industry.
The report shows increases in all major revenue categories for the first half of 2026 over the same period last year, with streaming remaining the largest revenue driver, having gone up 4.7% to $4.9 billion and accounting for 82% of overall revenues for the period. Vinyl sales are up 17.7% to $554 million, while CDs saw the greatest percentage increase of 58.6% to $171 million and synch revenue went up by 18.2% to $232 million.
Related
Total streaming revenue (across paid subscriptions, free streaming and other streaming) increased 4.7% — with premium paid subscriptions increasing by 5.5% in units to 111.1 million subscribers and 7.8% in value to $3.1 billion. Non-premium paid subscriptions, where music is not the primary driver, decreased by 9% to $239 million. Free streaming (what the report formerly called ad-supported) saw a 3.7% increase, reaching about $900 million.
